Canaries not looking well

[steve]

Hi All

I noticed this morning that most of my Canaries are not looking well, they look ragged all of a sudden. We have had a lot of rain and although they are under cover there is a lot of dampness in the air, I am thinking this could be the reason. I am going to disinfect all the cages tomorrow, is there anything I can give them to perk them up?

Regards
Steve

[lovezebs]

steve

Hi Steve.
Is there any way you could warm them up some? Poor guys are probably damp and cold and miserable.

~Elana~

[delray]

I agree with elana.... Maybe post a picture.

It's so cold everywhere!!!! Lol.

[cindy]

if they are fluffed and the temperatures are damp and chilly try hooking a heat lamp up, on one side of the cage for them to move to and get warm. Hooking it to one side gives them the opportunity to move away from it if to warm... can you get the heated area (from the heat lamp) to about 80 to 85 degrees (vet recommended temp for fluffed and ill birds)?

[steve]

Hi Elana, cindy, delray

My plan of action is as follows

- Clean and Disinfect all the double breeders
- Deworm
- Apply heat

At the moment we are having all four seasons everyday, hot, cold. wet, wind, it is really tough on the birds. It is really disheartening when your birds condition changes so dramatically over night.

Steve

[monotwine]

If your birds are not skinny then maybe hold back on the deworm and rather try something for Coccidiosis, and common bacterial infections Salmonella / e-coli.

When we have those all seasons in a day, hot wet and all the rest, then these micro-organisms flourish in an outdoor aviary.

If you have not de-wormed regularly then that can be done a little after. Worms should not make your birds look puffed so quickly. Mostly you'd notice them losing condition and eating alot.

Applying heat will help regardless of the ailment.
Hope your birds come right soon.

[lovezebs]

steve

Don't know, but I would give them some heat before anything else.
How are they eating? Is their food dry?

~Elana~

[steve]

Hi All

I did yesterday what I thought was best and disinfected all my double breeders with F10, ended up using an entire bottle. I housed all the young fledglings in one cage, there are 6 of them, I allocated an entire double breeder to a pair on eggs and another to a pair just starting to nest, I isolated one bird that looked the worst for wear as I doubt very much she is going to pull through. I removed another 7 birds and re-housed them in a medium sized aviary with my Zebra's so that they can get direct sunlight and fly around, they were over the moon straight away. I de-wormed all the canaries as I have never done this before and didn't really know what else to do. I bought a lamp and an infra red globe and place heat on one side of the double breeder with the youngsters as they seemed the most fragile, this also seemed to work with some of them warming themselves. I will see how it goes today.

Steve

[monotwine]

F10 is a brilliant disinfectant and you can also put it in their drinking water if you think there is something up. Its the safest one I've researched with proof it doesn't build up in the tissue and organs of birds.
You would have to dilute it a lot though. What I love about it, a little goes a long way.
1:1000 (1ml / 1l water) for drinking water
1:500 (1ml / 1/2 l water) for disinfecting surfaces (can kill in 15sec of wet time on surfaces and 15min wet to kill enveloped viruses if I recall properly)

Sun does wonders to perk birds up, but watch them closely too. The sunlight may make them happier, but won't cure them if there is a bug floating about.

[steve]

Hi all

The good news is, so far so good, the young canaries seem ok, 2 of them spend a lot of time in front of the heat lamp but they are eating. The birds I put in the Aviary are fine, I gave them Spinach, Apple and Cucumber this afternoon and they lapped it up. My only concern is the bird that I isolated, it seems as if it has sores around it's beak, no idea what that is. Monotwine is helping me with advice on treatments and products available in SA.

Steve

[lovezebs]

steve
I'm so glad to hear that things are on the up and up. I have found that unless there is some 'major' problem, then heat and light , and a good diet can do wonders.

~Elana~

[steve]

Hi

The Canary that was in isolation died last night, probably of being alone, it is such a pity but I knew she would not make it. On the plus side all the Brothers and Sisters are doing fine. It is still raining and is very gloomy for caged birds, hope we get some sun soon.

Regards
Steve